DACA Supporters Working Nonstop To Keep Program Alive

STOCKTON (CBS13) – Undocumented families will soon learn the fate of a program that has kept many of them together over the last five years.

President Donald Trump is expected to announce the future of the deferred action for childhood arrivals program, or DACA, and leaders with several immigration rights groups say things don’t look as promising as they once did.

Volunteers are walking up and down the streets in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods, gathering input and educating families about what’s happening to the DACA program.

Jessica Cabrera Carmona is one of the nearly 800,000 young undocumented individuals facing deportation if President Trump decides to end DACA.

“A lot of us who are undocumented come here due to the displacement that we have been facing in our countries so, that’s definitely a reason why we came to the U.S.,” she said.

Immigration rights groups coast to coast are now making a last minute effort to save the program that’s kept many young people living and working in the U.S., legally.

“I think DACA is not the beginning or the end. …I am surrounded by a lot of community leaders who are very supportive, but also we are ready to fight,” said Carmona.

Opponents of the program praise the possibility of the Trump administration pulling the plug, but advocates aren’t going out without a fight.

“This is when we need to act. We need to get in touch with our members of congress,” said Melissa Santos, Stanislaus Regional Coordinator for Mi Familia Vota.

Community groups in the Central Valley are canvassing several neighborhoods, doing everything they can to educate families about the possible change in policy and what it would mean to them.

“It’s devastating, not just because the people are currently working and going to school with their DACA permit, they won’t be able to work in the united states legally,” she said.

It’s not clear when or how the trump administration plans to implement changes to DACA, but whatever happens immigration rights advocates say they will continue to fight to keep families together.

“What we are telling people is to keep calm, to spread actual news, not rumors from what we heard yesterday, it’s not official until we have an announcement from our president,” said Santos.

Community groups plan to gather in downtown Stockton Tuesday morning for a stand up for DACA rally.